The present invention is based on the discovery that
parenteral nutrition (PN) induced
liver disease, e.g.
fatty liver disease, can be prevented and even reversed by administration of primarily
omega-3-
fatty acid with PN rather than the administration of the standard intravenous lipid emulsions that contain primarily
plant derived
omega-6
fatty acid. Thus, the present invention provides a method for treating or preventing
liver disease in a
human patient obtaining nutritional support through PN. The method comprises intravenous administration of an effective amount of an
omega-3-
fatty acid emulsion to the patient, wherein the patient is not administered phytosterols or
plant derived fatty acids, e.g. omega-6 fatty acids derived from a
plant source, and wherein the administration of the omega-3-fatty acid
emulsion to the patient is for a period greater than three weeks. Preferably, the administration is for a period of greater than six weeks. More preferably, the administration is for a period greater than three months.